Presented by Eugene RutagaramaDirector, International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP)

Co-hosted with US Fish & Wildlife Service International Programs

Eugene Rutagarama has over 20 years of experience working in conservation in the Great Lakes region of Africa, and is a leader in the transboundary conservation of the critically endangered mountain gorilla. As Director of the International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP), Eugene works on all aspects of regional program design, management and technical support toward the conservation of mountain gorillas and their transboundary forest habitat in Rwanda, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Eugene highlighted IGCP’s efforts and recent successes in creating varied and effective partnerships which support landscape-level species conservation, transboundary cooperation, and social and economic development to create incentives for mountain gorilla conservation.

The International Gorilla Conservation Program (IGCP), a unique coalition of three international conservation NGOs-- African Wildlife Foundation, Fauna and Flora International and World Wide Fund for Nature --was formed in 1991 to ensure the long-term conservation of the mountain gorilla and its regional afromontane and high altitude forest habitat. It emphasizes a holistic approach to conservation, with activities focusing on species and habitat protection, effective monitoring of conservation and socio-economic targets, transboundary collaboration in conservation efforts, working with local communities and linking rural development with conservation objectives, and strengthening policy for sustainable environmental management.

ABCG Thematic Meeting

To explore what motivated specific transboundary natural resource management (TBNRM) actions/investments, and what constraints they faced and what successes they encountered, the Africa Biodiversity Collaborative Group (ABCG) held a 19 July 2001 Meeting. The Biodiversity Support Program (BSP) presented the findings from their new study entitled: Beyond Boundaries: A Framework for Transboundary Natural Resource Management in Sub-Saharan Africa. Issues raised included logistical challenges, increased complexity, sovereignty, parity, and communications difficulties with transboundary natural resource projects that ABCG organizations are involved from many different projects. Personalities of key players and how and why projects were initiated also were identified as critical to their success.